


A Quiet Moment

by Caiti (Caitriona_3)



Series: The Hunters [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:53:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24379018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caitriona_3/pseuds/Caiti
Summary: Natasha and Bucky spend a quiet moment together.
Relationships: Betty Ross/Brock Rumlow, Clint Barton/Darcy Lewis, Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Betty Ross, James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton/Darcy Lewis, James "Bucky" Barnes/Darcy Lewis, Jane Foster/Brock Rumlow, Jane Foster/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov
Series: The Hunters [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1749853
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31
Collections: Bucky Barnes Bingo 2020, Marvel Fluff Bingo, Marvel Polyship Bingo 2020, Natasha Bingo





	A Quiet Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Written for multiple bingos:
> 
> Marvel Poly – Sense8 – requires 250 words  
> Natasha Romanoff – Mind reading – requires 500 words  
> Bucky Barnes – Hair braiding – requires 250 words  
> Marvel Fluff – Private security AU – requires 250 words  
> 

As a world-class spy and assassin, Natasha Romanoff couldn’t have ever imagined the path her life had taken. One minute she’s in her safe house, recovering from a mission. The next . . . did she call it a flash of light? Or a burst of sound? Scent? Taste? Whatever the hell it had been, it overwhelmed her senses. In that moment, her mind seemed to be under assault from all directions as a web of mental connections burned through her. Without any warning at all, Natasha found herself forever tied to seven other people.

Damn . . . it hurt!

The sheer power of the new bonds hurled her into an unconscious state – one that lasted a good eight hours. When she woke, she found her mind crowded and noisy as everyone tried to figure out what had happened. Or how to ‘fix’ it. Nothing worked. All of them spent several months pushing boundaries, striking out, and finally learning to deal. Somehow or another, they made it work . . . even if a few of them had to give up some of their regular activities due to the delicate sensibilities of the others.

Now? Now she wouldn’t trade any one of them.

Right now, however, something a good deal more prosaic occupied her thoughts. She wanted her hair braided, but more than that, she wanted to relax. Arguing with idiots always gave her a low-level headache. For an international company run by one of the most organized women she’d ever met, Stark Industries had more than its fair share of them. Brush and bands in hand, she tilted her head and opened her mind. 

_Anybody free to do my hair?_

Answers rolled back to her, all colored with various emotions of regret or annoyance depending on the person and the situation. Darcy sent back a flood of absent-minded regret – so distracted that Natasha took a moment to follow her thread back to the young hacker. She smiled as she looked through her friend’s eyes to see her fingers flying over the keyboard and all three screens flashing through various websites. Pulling back before she gave herself a headache, Natasha wished her luck in whatever the hell she might be seeking.

Clint’s reply came drenched in bored annoyance. Doing a quick review of everyone’s schedule, she figured he still had to be stuck in the security meeting. That’s what happened when he tried to make a wager with her. A wicked smirk settled on her lips. Granted, she’d waited until they were in the middle of something a good deal more fun and distracting, but he should know better than to take bets in bed. It never ended well for him.

And yes, she’d cheat if that’s what it took to steal a victory. 

She was a thief; it’s what she did.

An apologetic reply came from Betty along with a matching one of annoyance from Brock. They seemed to be dealing with Banner – again. The man just wanted to get hit. Brock opened his eyes to her, letting her see the lab and Banner’s unhappy expression as he worked on something on one of the tables. Betty had her back to him, eyes rolled to the ceiling in an apparent bid for patience. The gentlest of their group, everyone tended to be a little overprotective of the pretty scientist, but Brock would be the most likely to shoot first and ask questions later.

_That’s why I’m here. So maybe he’ll push that line finally and I can shoot his ass._

_Brock!_

Natasha pulled away, laughing as she did so. Betty wouldn't let Brock kill the man, but a bullet in the ass might actually solve the problem. 

At least for a few minutes, anyway.

Neither Steve nor Jane sent any particular reply, but given the heat and passion spilling over to the rest of them, she could guess why. It must have been his turn to distract their (former) mafia princess from whatever scheme might be floating around in her brain. Brilliant woman, no question, but she did have a tendency to get lost in plans and ideas.

Amusement flowed along the web in her mind and she heard Bucky’s response.

_Be there in a minute, Tash._

_Do you even know how to braid?_

Her teasing question brought another burst of sparkles that signified laughter. 

_No, but Betty does and she’s going to loan me the skill for you._

Smiling, she went to arrange a comfortable space in her – thankfully temporary – living room for them to use. One more week to go before their floor would be ready and they’d have a family living room finally. She hated not being surrounded by everyone, but it took them time to get the idea of their unique set-up across to Pepper. Stark and Banner **still** didn’t get it . . . and here she’d have thought Tony Stark of all people would figure it out first.

The door slid open and Bucky strolled in, a cheerful smirk curving his lips. “Jane wanted to try and do some fraud.”

“Fraud?” Natasha laughed. “How’d she plan to sell that one to Steve?”

“Apparently she figured the target – Justin Hammer – made it a legit job.”

“That explains the sex.”

“It works.” Bucky held out his hand. “Give.”

Handing over the brush, she settled on the cushion she’d placed on the floor. Once he took his seat, she shifted back until she sat between his knees, her back to the couch. Neither of them spoke for several long minutes as he used the brush to tease out the tangles in her hair. Once it settled into a silky fall of crimson waves, he dropped the brush to the seat beside him and used his fingers to give her a scalp massage.

“Have fun today, did you, Ms. Rushman?”

Natasha leaned back, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the feeling of his hands in her hair. “Pepper’s brilliant – and the two men have their own brains, even if they lack common sense – but some of these people are annoying fools.”

“Guess even the best have to be stuck with them.”

“Hmph.”

Her shoulders lost their tenseness and he must have felt it. A final sweep of his fingers slid through her hair to make sure he hadn’t caused any tangles before he began to actual handle the styling. Once he started the actual braiding, his fingers made fast work of separating her tresses and entwining them in a single long plait down her back.

“You know, there was some muttering about you coming out of Betty’s door yesterday,” she informed him. 

“Oh?”

Amused disdain filled the small word. “Banner,” she chuckled. “He’s unimpressed it seems like.”

“Better be careful how much he grumbles,” Bucky replied as he tied off her braid. “Brock’s looking for a reason to hit him.” He tugged at her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Banner’s a scientist – he should spend more time observing and putting the clues together as opposed to running his mouth.”

“You’d think,” Natasha agreed. Rising to her feet, she turned to brush her own lips over his cheek. “But he’s got some anger management issues.”

“Not to mention a problem with boundaries.” He handed her the brush. “Betty’s a big girl.”

“Pepper says our floor will be ready in a week,” she promised. “Then we can get the video restricted and nobody else has to know who’s doing what and with whom.” She wrinkled her nose. “Not that it’s any of their business anyway.”

“Nope, but why take the hard road if we don’t have to?” Bucky sprawled back against the cushions. “They’ll still see the affection, but they can keep their voyeuristic tendencies to themselves.”

“Unless Darcy decides to show off just to thumb her nose at all of them.”

His smirk turned mischievous. “And she would,” he agreed, easy with the idea. Spreading his hands, he shrugged. “Who am I to deny her?”

“Clint wouldn’t either,” Natasha agreed, laughter dancing between them before she collapsed into the seat beside him and cuddled under one of his arms. They only had a strong friendship between them, one that people outside of the family misunderstood, but what else could they be with their minds so interwoven? “He’d down right relish it.”

“You know, Stark asked if we **shared** her – with all the implications in that sarcastic tone of his.”

“He what?!?”

Shock rang in her voice as she tried to sit up, but Bucky tugged her back into place. “Settle, Red,” he ordered. “Potts dragged him off – and she didn’t look too pleased. Given that my girl got a bunch of shiny new tech, I’m betting she gave him hell.”

“Good.” Grumbling under her breath, she settled back against his side. “I should still do something. Maybe steal his coffee supply?”

“JARVIS can still hear you,” he reminded her, his laughter rumbling under her ear. 

“Even with the privacy protocols,” she sighed. Then she brightened. “But he likes Darcy, so I’m betting we could come to some kind of agreement.”

Another ghost of a kiss brushed over the top of her head. “Don’t get too excited about the idea,” he warned. “I’ll have to sic Steve on **you** next. And the man’s got a meeting with Potts tomorrow. We need him awake for that, not exhausted by two of you women.”

“He’s a big boy.”


End file.
